HORIBA Jobin Yvon is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement with xk, Inc. to become the exclusive provider of SLICE, the Spectral Library Identification and Classification Explorer, to the XRF community. SLICE is a Windows application designed to archive, query, and compare x-ray spectra, and represents a revolutionary new approach to materials analysis.

SLICE was developed under an FBI contract to reduce the time and improve the accuracy of evidence identification, and to create an advanced archiving tool capable of associating images, text and other types of spectra with the spectrum of interest. It has become a widely-used tool in Forensic laboratories where virtually any material can be encountered (powders, grease, explosive residue, etc.), and its use is now being extended to contaminant analysis in a wide range of industries, including pharmaceutical, automotive, and semiconductor.

The SLICE Results window shows the comparison of a collected spectrum with similar x-ray spectra in the database. The Degree of Fit parameter measures the degree to which the spectrum from the unknown is consistent with the matching spectra, and Group Membership parameter provides a measure of how well the spectrum fits within the particular grouping.

SLICE performs element identification and conventional quantitative analysis routines, and features a unique display capability in which spectra, displayed in the log, square root, or linear mode, can be incrementally overlapped to provide a powerful aid to visual verification. The number of spectra can be chosen, and individual spectra can be turned on and off by a single mouse click. The spectra can be panned, zoomed, and dynamically normalized at the position of the cursor or at individual peaks to further aid in spectral comparisons.

Graphene oxide membranes have been receiving attention for their extremely powerful separation abilities and the ease at which it can be modified, allowing for membrane permittivity to be fine-tuned. These membranes show the potential to be used for water purification, ‘green’ gas purification and greenhouse gas capture.